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CHAPTER TEN
UMTS
UMTS, the Universal Mobile Telecommunications System, is the third-generation (3G) success or
to the second-generation GSM-based technologies, including GPRS, and EDGE. Although UMTS
uses a totally different air interface, the core network elements have been migrating towards the
UMTS requirements with the introduction of GPRS and EDGE. In this way, the transition from
GSM to UMTS does not require such a large instantaneous investment.
UMTS, which uses wideband CDMA (W-C DMA), has had a long history. Even as the first 2G
systems were first being rolled out, it was clear that these would not cater for the demand
forever. New technologies capable of providing new services and facilities would be required.
With this in mind, the World ...